[BTCC] BTCC 2023 season discussion, News and Rumours!

[crmalcolm]

Originally Posted by Ant25

How come?

Because it is unlikely that a driver would move from a full-time LMGTE Pro drive in the WEC to a national series.

[Evantra]

JTR (Tandy's team) run the NAPA car in Carrera Cup, and Tandy also tested a Motorbase Focus about ten years ago I found on Autosport!

[crmalcolm]

Originally Posted by Evantra

JTR (Tandy's team) run the NAPA car in Carrera Cup, and Tandy also tested a Motorbase Focus about ten years ago I found on Autosport!

Along with driving for Motorbase in 2012 in his development as a GT driver.

[Ant25]

Never say never!

[S griffin]

Let's hope we get a good quality lineup next year, I think teams should look outside the current support classes for some fresh talent in the series

[Evantra]

Incidentally Max Coates was tweeting yesterday about getting partners on board for Graves' 2023 entry, so nice to here that's still in the works.

[crmalcolm]

Given that plenty here seem to know how teams should have their (perceived) advantages mitigated - perhaps they should put their hats in the ring?

https://twitter.com/BTCC/status/1547...45_ednqVA&s=19

[crmalcolm]

It seems a number of teams have signed Oscar Piastri for next season.

[redshoes]

No, I refuse to start a 2024 rumours thread already.

From today's Motorsports News, Silverstone International still on Gow's radar. Also rumours of a 90-min 2-driver race. Gow saying he is not against the idea but it is up to the teams.

[billy bleach]

Originally Posted by redshoes

No, I refuse to start a 2024 rumours thread already.

From today's Motorsports News, Silverstone International still on Gow's radar. Also rumours of a 90-min 2-driver race. Gow saying he is not against the idea but it is up to the teams.

Are the fuel tanks big enough for 1 1/2 hours? Would the tyres last? Has the Hybrid been tested over that distance?

[VIVA GT]

Originally Posted by billy bleach

Are the fuel tanks big enough for 1 1/2 hours? Would the tyres last? Has the Hybrid been tested over that distance?

All very fair and relevant questions.
I'm sure that the teams could cope with tyre changes if necessary but neither the teams or the cars are equipped for refuelling...

[Evantra]

Originally Posted by redshoes

From today's Motorsports News, Silverstone International still on Gow's radar. Also rumours of a 90-min 2-driver race. Gow saying he is not against the idea but it is up to the teams.

Yes please.

25ish mins up to 90 is quite a jump, more than the three races combined!

[Mike Harte]

Originally Posted by billy bleach

Are the fuel tanks big enough for 1 1/2 hours? Would the tyres last? Has the Hybrid been tested over that distance?

Fuel shouldn't be a problem for a 90 minute race. If the current fuel containers are not sufficient to last for that long, then it would not be a major problem for the teams to have enlarged fuel cells manufactured and installed instead; I would imagine (in fact, I'm pretty certain that it would be part of the regulations) that they already have specially made fuel containers installed in the boot rather than using road going fuel tanks.

[VIVA GT]

Originally Posted by Mike Harte

Fuel shouldn't be a problem for a 90 minute race. If the current fuel containers are not sufficient to last for that long, then it would not be a major problem for the teams to have enlarged fuel cells manufactured and installed instead; I would imagine (in fact, I'm pretty certain that it would be part of the regulations) that they already have specially made fuel containers installed in the boot rather than using road going fuel tanks.

Mike, unless TOCA mandated it in the car design (in case of long-distance races) I doubt if there would be sufficient room/capacity for (say) 200% more fuel. The fuel cells will be integrated into the bodyshell design and (again) I doubt that additional capacity could be simply added.

[TuteZaek]

Installing refuelling equipment isn't too hard, here in Argentina we have special races with refueling popping now and then on cars that weren't initially designed for that (Top Race, which actually now uses smaller fuel cells, for making stops necessary on such races, TC, now kinda normal, this weekend will have one with refueling, and TC2000 with the Bs. As. 200km)

The hybrid thing is the potential issue, but I'll asume that the tests were actually longer on duration.

[Matt K]

But why do we need two drivers for a 90-min race?

[crmalcolm]

Originally Posted by Matt K

But why do we need two drivers for a 90-min race?

I would guess a number of reasons, including:

A) Most BTCC teams would only want to fund the entry of 1 car, but have 2 drivers.
B) Most BTCC drivers are only physically accustomed to 20min races.

[Matt K]

Originally Posted by crmalcolm

I would guess a number of reasons, including:

A) Most BTCC teams would only want to fund the entry of 1 car, but have 2 drivers.
B) Most BTCC drivers are only physically accustomed to 20min races.

I can understand that but it might be a bit 'art for art's sake' sort of thing and a bit irrelevant for the whole series. Unless the co-drivers are some 'wildcards' from other championships, the idea of a 2-driver race doesn't make a lot of sense.

If the BTCC wants to play a bit with different formats (which I would be happy to see tbh) then it'd be better to make one race longer with double points or something like that and for example make a round two races with the first shorter and second longer.
Anyway, the idea of a 90-minute long race with 15 cars, each shared by two drivers makes little sense for me even if seems interesting at the first glance.

[thetool]

Originally Posted by Matt K

. Unless the co-drivers are some 'wildcards' from other championships, the idea of a 2-driver race doesn't make a lot of sense.

I think that would absolutely be the intention, much in the way the enduros work in the Supercars series in Australia. The hope would be that a number of the drivers drafted in to be teammates would be former series front-runners (Yvan Muller, Matt Neal, Sam Tordoff, Andy Jordan, etc) or high profile drivers from elsewhere (Rob Huff*, Andy Priaulx*, Jenson Button, Dario Franchitti, Elfyn Evans, etc.) much in the same way that Bathurst 1000 does.

* I know these two have some BTCC experience, but they predominantly made thier names elsewhere.

[Matt K]

That's the idea I like and it seems quite obvious but I'm wondering who could pay for these 'co-drivers'? Certainly not teams and I also doubt there would be anyone willing to find sponsors/pay his own money just to drive a BTCC car for 45mins.

[thetool]

Originally Posted by Matt K

That's the idea I like and it seems quite obvious but I'm wondering who could pay for these 'co-drivers'? Certainly not teams and I also doubt there would be anyone willing to find sponsors/pay his own money just to drive a BTCC car for 45mins.

It would work exactly the same way as it does in GT racing. A lot of drivers subsidise a professional in those series. The top teams would bring in top drivers from elsewhere, as they have done in the past when additional late season entries were possible, whilst the teams further down the grid would sell the spots to drivers looking for BTCC experience. For what is an incredibly difficult series to get into these days due to the TBL system making it something of a closed shop, it would be a good way for other drivers to get some real experience of the series.

[billy bleach]

Originally Posted by Mike Harte

Fuel shouldn't be a problem for a 90 minute race. If the current fuel containers are not sufficient to last for that long, then it would not be a major problem for the teams to have enlarged fuel cells manufactured and installed instead; I would imagine (in fact, I'm pretty certain that it would be part of the regulations) that they already have specially made fuel containers installed in the boot rather than using road going fuel tanks.

Any idea what a safety fuel tank costs? Also presumably a new fire wall would have to be fabricated. I would have thought a 60% increase in fuel load would make the handling “interesting”!

[antnee]

What type of filler do the cars have?

Remember they did around 45 mins racing for the Diamond race in 2018, so potentially only 1 refill required. Setting a minimum pitstop time would take away any requirement for specialist equipment to complete a stop too.

[VIVA GT]

Originally Posted by antnee

What type of filler do the cars have?

Remember they did around 45 mins racing for the Diamond race in 2018, so potentially only 1 refill required. Setting a minimum pitstop time would take away any requirement for specialist equipment to complete a stop too.

I know what you're saying here but unfortunately, if the mandatory minimum pitstop time is set really long (for obvious safety reasons) you'd no longer have a 90 minute race but 2 x 42½ minute ones (for example if you see what I mean. It somewhat spoils the idea for me.

[redshoes]

Originally Posted by crmalcolm

I would guess a number of reasons, including:

A) Most BTCC teams would only want to fund the entry of 1 car, but have 2 drivers.
B) Most BTCC drivers are only physically accustomed to 20min races.

That answers the question of why you would want to run 2 drivers, but doesn't answer the question of why you would want a longer race in the first place, which I think was Matt's point.